Thanks for the review Janet. We're really pleased Concerto helped make your first Broads holiday such an enjoyable one. She’s a great boat to build your confidence on, and we hope it’s the first of many boating holidays.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“We had a good holiday. I feel the Concerto 1 is a bit tired, either in need of a good refurbishment or retirement. Steering from the mid deck was challenging, the fridge was very tired, overall the boat is feeling its age.”
Dear Andrew
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We’re pleased to hear you had a good holiday, but we’re sorry that Concerto 1 felt tired in places and that some aspects of the boat didn’t meet expectations.
We really do appreciate this kind of feedback, as it helps us identify where attention is needed. We’ll be reviewing the points you raised, including the fridge, steering from the mid deck and the overall condition of the boat, as part of our ongoing maintenance and improvement programme.
Thank you again for your comments, and we hope we’ll have the chance to welcome you back for an even better holiday in the future.
All the Best
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
Thanks for the review, Kevin. We're pleased you had a great holiday aboard Concerto and found her easy to use. You and the crew look like you had a great time!
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“Great family boat to sleep up to 6, plus dog who immediately felt at home. Easy to handle with the bow thruster at low speed. Galley a touch too small. Inside driving position is very uncomfortable. Economical though. For some bridges it’s too tall so we were restricted.”
“We had a lovely, completely new experience on our trip,having never been on the Broads before,however the boat was a bit tired,the shelf in the fridge door was broken & we think the water gauge wasn't accurate. We will probably do another trip as everyone was really friendly on the water but would choose a different boat possibly nearer with a better layout to suit us.”
“Excellent service, the boat was fantastic and easy to sail. We would definitely recommend Barnes Brinkcraft for your holiday. We will definitely be booking again.”
“As others have said, these boats are feeling a bit tired now.
We had a few issues - one toilet refused to empty after the first night (thankfully still in boatyard and fixed), bow thruster controller literally fell off in my hand in upper driving position (it went back on but fell off a few times at key moments)
The upper driving position is really open to the elements. If it is raining you will get cold and wet as visibility from the inside position is next to zero in the rain (or for doing any manoeuvres for that matter). The throttle has weird false neutrals that can make mooring "entertaining" as the boat is in gear when you think it shouldn't be
And it should carry a warning re Ludham bridge. This boat is 8ft high, the bridge is 8ft 6in at best. If you can't get under Ludham bridge then the Northern Broads are very restrictive for a 7 day break.
You get a refund on your fuel deposit but no invoice to say why you have been charged what you have or the price per litre (can only assume that it is £££ if they aren't saying)
Definitely wouldn't book this boat again. BB boatyard could also do with a revamp. Facilities are very basic.”
